


Find reason in the clouds

by megyal



Category: Naruto
Genre: Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-26
Updated: 2010-04-26
Packaged: 2017-10-11 11:18:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/megyal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ETA: This was translated into Chinese by NicoleAmbrato! <a href="http://narutoooooo.lofter.com/post/1e075d58_bb7c4cd">Translation</a></p>
    </blockquote>





	Find reason in the clouds

**Author's Note:**

> ETA: This was translated into Chinese by NicoleAmbrato! [Translation](http://narutoooooo.lofter.com/post/1e075d58_bb7c4cd)

_It isn't always so simple as looking for meaning in the skies..._

Clouds, Shikamaru thinks, clouds are nice. He knows that clouds are really just little water droplets suspended in the atmosphere and he likes that there are so many different types and shapes. His favourites are: cirrus, because they're so damned wispy, almost finicky in their appearance; and stratocumulus family, because they can be so _bulky_. Clouds are simple and complicated at the same time, and his mind always delights over that fact.

When he was at the Academy, the lesson about using the weather to one's advantage during battle, tracking or concealment had been his favourite. When Iruka-sensei had gone into the part about assessing the clouds to see if they were low enough to provide cover or about to bring rain (changing up the nature of the battlefield, for example), he had been beside himself with glee. Of course, he'd had his head on his desk and had probably appeared to be too bored to be paying attention, but Iruka-sensei had known him too well; he had gone into detail about the different types of clouds, and while the rest of the class probably had had large question marks hovering over their heads, Shikamaru had been taking down notes feverishly underneath the flat surface of his desk, reminding himself to go into the library and read some more.

Chōji grumbles, "What is it with you and the clouds?" when Shikamaru forces him to sit down and look up. "This is kind of boring."

"Shut up," Shikamaru always tells him, because sometimes it's not just about watching the clouds, but watching them _with_ someone.

When Naruto came back from wherever he'd been, traipsing around with that Pervert Sennin, he'd sought out Shikamaru and told him about this wicked awesome cloud he'd seen one time, kind of flat on the top, spread _way_ out and it had been just _awesome_.

"Anvil cumulus," Shikamaru had grunted as he reclined against the trunk of a tree, eyes narrowed up at Naruto, who had gazes blankly back at him. "_Cumulonimbus incus_," he specifies.

Naruto still appeared mystified as he had settled down beside Shikamaru; legs drawn up, elbows resting against knees, hands dangling down. He was all angles and serious hard lines; where was the loud exasperating and fluffy brat from a few years ago?

"Right," Naruto had said, looking up at the serene parade of _cumulus humilis_ passing overhead. "Nimb-in-us. Whatever."

Shikamaru had actually laughed a little at that.

He isn't quite sure why Naruto is sticking around him so often nowadays. Granted, Sakura is still apt to make her fists do most of the talking, and Naruto is pretty skilled at inciting a violent conversation with said fists, but she isn't so bad. Shikamaru figures that Naruto is trying to find a substitute for Sasuke; if he had the time, he'd glare at Naruto and insult him, but Shikamaru can't even bother with all that.

One day as they lounge under the big tree that's located a few minutes into the lush forest near the Hokage Monument, he bluntly asks Naruto if that's the case; Naruto answers just as frankly, "Trying to replace Sasuke with you? I dunno. Maybe if you stuck your tongue down my throat and then punched me in the stomach right afterwards, it would be a fair enough exchange."

Few things surprise Shikamaru speechless; that, and the offhand way Naruto says it, actually has him blinking. Naruto grins.

"It's just... I saw him in some village festival and we got to fighting."

"Right," Shikamaru says faintly, because that is what Naruto and Sasuke _do_, apparently: make out and then try kill each other.

"I guess he just kissed me to throw me off," Naruto continues, but there is a faint mist of puzzlement floating across the sunny expanse of his face. "And then he just..."

"Come here," Shikamaru says when his sentence trails off into nothing and rolls his eyes at Naruto's befuddled expression. "Get closer."

"Why?"

"You can't have your last kiss be something like that," Shikamaru explains. "Come on."

Naruto looks shocked, bemused and curious all at the same time. Shikamaru just waits.

Finally, Naruto leans forward and presses his mouth against Shikamaru's; for a brash person like Naruto, he kisses like cirrus, sweet and light. Shikamaru pressed a hand to the back of his neck, thumb pressed against the pulse and parts his lips. Naruto's tongue slides in against his, and then he's kissing like stratocumulus, heavy and persistent. Shikamaru inhales, tasting ramen Naruto had for lunch, and kisses him back.

"That was..." Naruto says when he pulls away, and his smile is crooked. "Good."

Shikamaru shrugs, but he smiles as he looks at the damp plumpness of Naruto's bottom lip, before he turns his attention back the the complicated simplicity of the clouds.

_fin_


End file.
